Scissobs



ETTED sTATEs PATENT oEEicE.

JOHN HEIST, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

SCISSORS.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 31,032, dated January 1, 1861.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JoI-I'N HEIST, of the city of Philadelphia and Stat-e of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Scissors; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

My invention consists in the attachment of a pair of blades (jointed and operating the same as those of ordinary scissors) to a U shaped spring, the tendency of said spring being to keep the blades open when in its neutral position, while, by compressing` the former between the fingers, the required cutting action is obtained in the blades; the whole is further so arranged as to be readily `collapsed into a convenient and safe shape for carrying the same in the pocket or otherwise.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention I will now proceed to describe its construction and operation.

On reference to the drawing forming part of my specication and in which the same letters of reference allude to similar parts throughout the several views: Figure 1 is a plan of my improved scissors. Fig. 2 is a side view of the same, and Fig. 3 a view of the instrument in its collapsed position.

A, A are the blades, with their cutting ends equal in shape to those of ordinary scissors. They are jointed together at b, the lower or short end of each being againpjointed to the forked plates B, B, (see Fig. 1.) These plates are riveted to the opposite ends of the spring C, at 0, c, the rivet joints being however loose enough to allow the plates B, B to be turned freely on the same; these plates and with them the blades A, A are held in either of the two positions shown in the drawing at Figs. 1 and 3 by a spring D on one side of C pressing against the flat side of one of the plates B, thus keeping the blades A, A parallel with D in either position. The tendency of spring D being to Ahold the blades A, A in. the position shown at Fig. 1, it only requires a compression of l D, to produce the cutting action of the latter, which, when released from the pressure of the fingers on D, will regain their 'former open position.

The ease and quickness with which this instrument can be picked up, applied and laid aside again (without having to adjust .the fingers to any particular position, as is the case within the eyes of ordinary scissors) make it particularly useful in connection with sewing machines for the clipping of the threads, &c.; it is also a very serviceable and convenient instrument for barbers and hairdressers in clipping the short hair in the back of the neck, while it is no less useful on the counter of retail trimming stores for cutting off ribbon, cord, &c.

Having thus described the nature of my `invention, I wish it to be understood that I do not desire to confine myself minutely to any particular configuration of the parts of my improved scissors; but

lVhat I claim and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

Scissors formed by the described combination and arrangement of blades A, springs C and D, plates B and pivots b 'and c, the

whole being constructed and operating sub-V stantially as described.

` JOHN REIST. Titnesses JOSEF A. LEUHE, THEoDoRE BERGNER. 

